Camping Paris

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Paris needs no introduction. It's one of the world's great cities and a major hub for culture, art, gastronomy, and fashion. The city has long been the most visited destination on the planet with tourists descending upon it to wander along the wide 19th century boulevards, look out over the River Seine, go up the iconic Eiffel Tower, or marvel at the 12th century Notre-Dame Cathedral. It will come as no surprise that the city is one of the finest places to eat. Through the city there are excellent restaurants and bars. The smell of freshly baking bread fills the streets every morning. It's also packed with world class museums and art galleries like the Louvre. Paris is nicknamed the City and Light, and when you arrive, you'll know why. It's also known as one of the most expensive cities in the world, particularly for accommodation. One of the best options, particularly in the summer is to stay in one of the nearby campsites.

The Paris Bois de Boulogne Indigo Campsite
is located right in the heart of the city and offers a peaceful and cheaper alternative to staying in the hotels or guest houses. Completely renovated in 2015, the campsite is now one of the finest in the country with many options for pitches, and permanent bungalows. Included in the renovation was the washrooms and showers, and a new lodge which can be used by guests as a common area. The site was also completely landscaped, particularly around the pitches and rental bungalows. The campsite is open all year round, so you can enjoy cheap accommodation, even in winter.

The site is located on the Bois de Boulogne surrounding by greenery and the River Seine. It's situated in the 16th district of Paris to west of the city and provides easy access to all the major things to do and attractions. You can get into the city centre in about 15 minutes on public transport, so it's just a short distance from the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees. A great base for discovering the city. For a city centre campsite, it’s particularly big and spans 7 hectares of land. At reception, the staff are multilingual and are more than happy to explain about the sights of the city and the goings on at the time of your visit.

They are a staggering 510 grassy pitches available for campers, motorhomes, and caravans. These pitches are separated so that tents are located right next to campervans. Unfortunately, none of the camping pitches have electricity, though the motorhome pitches do. You can charge things in the common areas. If you are taking one of the standard pitches you will need to bring your tent and sleeping bags with you as these aren't provided. All the pitches and grassy and flat. On some of the more expensive pitches, you are permitted to bring your car, and there is plenty of space. When you make your booking on the site website, you can choose which you would like. Book early to get the pitches that overlook the River Seine, or near the shower block if you wish.

If you don't have a tent or a motorhome, the campsite has several different types of permanent accommodation available, which are still great value compared to the hotels and guest houses in the city, but with all of the amenities you would expect. These include cottages, canvas tents, and wooden trailers.

One of the most unique places to stay is in the campsites Gypsy caravans. These cosy 21 square metre wooden caravans have space for up to four people and include a bedroom with double bed, a private bathroom, a kitchenette with stove and fridge, and a dining room with a table and chairs. You can also open up the double doors in the summer to a little wooden veranda, a lovely spot to sit in the midday sunshine.

The campsite also has a number of cottages, both standard and plus. Both are around 25 square metres, and have a kitchenette with stove and fridge with work surface, a dining area with table and chairs, a living area with a bull out bed and sofa, two bedrooms with double and twin beds, a large private bathroom with sink and hot showers, and a large 8 square metre covered terrace with garden furniture. Being bigger, they are a little more expensive than the Gypsy caravans, but they offer more space with the multiple bedrooms.

For something with a little more character, why not consider the canvas safari style tents, located in the newly landscaped gardens. It's one of the most comfortable offerings provided by the campsite. These are completely set up for you before you arrive, so you can settle right in. They have two different types available. The first is a 25 square metre canvas tent which has 2 bedrooms, as master with a double bed, and another with a set of bunk beds and a single bed. This makes them perfect for families with children. They also have a kitchen area with everything you need to cook a delicious lunch or dinner, and a private bathroom with a hot water and shower. They also have a sunny terrace to enjoy your meals. The other tents are a little smaller at 20 square metres and are available for up to four guests. These also have 2 bedrooms, one with a double bed, and another with two single beds. They also have a kitchen area with everything you need to cook, and a large sunny terrace to enjoy your meals al fresco.

There are plenty of facilities at the campsite. A newly built central lodge with a sunny terrace is a great place to sit and meet other travellers. They also have a large playground to keep kids occupied for hours, a grocery store where you can buy all your provisions, and a heated washroom block with toilets and hot showers throughout. These blocks also have family bathrooms and baby changing rooms. WiFi is available across the camp and access to it is included in the cost of your pitch. To make getting to town even easier, the campsite provides a free shuttle bus to take guests from the campsite to the Porte Maillot underground station. There is a space reserved for people with reduced mobility so they can still use the site.

The reception is manned by friendly staff from 7 am to 10 pm (and slightly later in July and August), but you can still come and go as you please as the campsite is open 24 hours a day. The staff here can give you touristic advice and information about what to do during your stay in the city. If you have booked before you arrive (recommended), all you will need to do is quickly sign in and you're ready, no long forms to fill out or other information to provide. On site there is a new restaurant and cafe which provides meals throughout the day. These include homemade pizzas and French classics. These can be enjoyed on the sunny terrace. It's worth remembering that the restaurant cafe is only open during the summer months, but there are plenty of other places to eat nearby and in the city. Some times throughout the year, the campsite has a food truck that knocks up some delicious takeaway food to take back to your pitch or bungalow. Camping was never so comfortable or easy! You can order your bread and pastries the night before, and these are delivered to you in the morning, still warm after being freshly baked. A little shop has a wide range of regional products available throughout the year.

In the central lodge, there is a common room where you can gather with friends, family, or the other guests at the campsite and enjoy a hot drink, read a book, play board games, or catch your favourite show on the TV. The site has onsite laundry facilities including washing machines and clothes dryers. To use them, just buy tokens from the reception. If you want to cook up your own meals, you can hire out a barbecue and enjoy cooking and eating al fresco. In the summer you can hire bikes to ride into the city, or the surrounding biking trails. Just down the road from the campsite is Suresnes, an area which has everything from banks to supermarkets.

Reaching the campsite is easy. If you are coming on the metro, take Metro Line 1 to Porte Maillot station. Take the number 6 exit onto Avenue Charles de Gaulle and jump on the 244 bus. Get off just a few minutes down the road at Moulins Camping. They also have a shuttle bus from the campsite running throughout the day. If you are driving, take the Paris ring road called the peripherique, and leave at the Porte Maillot and Boid de Boulogne exit. Drive on to Bois de Boulogne following the signs for camping. The nearest train station is the Gare de Lyon or Montparnasse where you can take the metro, and Paris de Gaulle and Orly airports are both around 25 kilometres away.